Motegi – Race 1: Makino and Dandelion Racing continue, first points for Fenestraz

• Who can stop Tadasuke Makino and Dandelion Racing? As in Suzuka last March, we found the same two protagonists at the top of the Race 1 standings this Saturday at Motegi. The 27-year-old driver, who started from pole position, took his second consecutive victory of the season at Mobility Resort Motegi ahead of his teammate Kakunoshin Ohta. The Japanese team based in Kameoka is currently on a perfect run with three victories in as many races, and has secured its first double in a race since 2012!
• Tadasuke Makino managed his race perfectly, starting from pole position at Motegi. Although he had to defend his position on the first lap against Igor Fraga (Nakajima Racing), he held onto his lead until the pit stops. The Japanese driver then had to regain his position after his teammate's undercut, before going on to win unopposed at the end of the race. The podium was logically completed by the second Dandelion Racing driver, Kakunoshin Ohta, and by rookie Igor Fraga, who secured the first podium of his Super Formula career.
• Huge disappointment, however, for the man who was leading the championship before arriving at Motegi, Ayumu Iwasa. A week after taking his place in the RB21 in F1, in Bahrain, the clan's protégé Red Bull retired due to a mechanical problem late in the race while fighting for the final step of the podium. This retirement allows Tadasuke Makino to take the lead in the championship with 44 points, ahead of Kakunoshin Ohta (39 points) and Sho Tsuboi (31 points), while Ayumu Iwasa drops to 4th place with 30 points.
• In his third Super Formula race since returning to the Japanese championship, Sacha Fenestraz (Team TOM'S) earned his first points of the season at Motegi. While the Franco-Argentinian, who qualified in a very good 5th place, was unable to maintain his position in the race, he still managed to stay in the points zone with a late-race pass on Tomoki Nojiri. With an 8th-place finish, the Annecy native earned his first three points in the Drivers' Championship.

Super Formula – Motegi
Race 1 – Ranking

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